Lately I’ve had something on my mind that I’ve finally gotten the gumption up to write about. Well, truthfully, what I should say is that after I told God, “No way am I going to write that post no matter how much you nag me about it,” he said, “I’ve got a big fish for people like you . . . .”
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Last week I got a big bump in readers thanks to another real foods blogger who I admire. After that bump in readership, I really got to thinking about “influence” and what it means for social media. In my case, the influence of this one famous blogger literally doubled my readership. I started reflecting on my “influence” and what I use it for.
Do I encourage people? Do I depress people? Do I scare people into eating real foods or giving more money? Do I momentarily inspire readers but then am forgotten? Do I matter? Am I effective? Do I make the most of every opportunity that I have?
I also began to reflect upon the blogging communities and the blogging “circles” that I run in. I began to notice something that troubled me, embarrassed me, and scared me. Here’s one example.
One blogging community that I’m part of hosts a major conference for Christian women bloggers. To launch this year’s conference and the new name for their community, they held a Twitter party. There was a lot of buzz among the 700 or so bloggers interested in this conference. The big draw for the Twitter party was that they gave away a ticket to the upcoming conference. Hundreds of bloggers logged onto Twitter to try for a chance at the free ticket. I had never been part of a Twitter party, but let me just tell you, it was INSANE. There were dozens of tweets going up a second. We said hello, mentioned how overwhelmed we all felt, and then we began vying for the giveaways. The party was trending like crazy, meaning that lots of people who don’t know about this conference were tuning into the Twitter feed to find out what was going on.
When the time came for the conference ticket giveaway, a great Twitter chorus of “ME. ME. ME. Please ME!! Pick ME!” went up. (That might have been my exact tweet.) We gimme-gimme-ers were sent on a scavenger hunt to the conference webpage to find a picture of the ticket in a photo. Someone won. It wasn’t me. Then everyone disenchantedly tweeted something akin to “Hooray for you winner person. My eyes are bleeding from reading this feed. I’m going to bed.”
And we went to bed.
No one said, “Hey how about we all retweet to our followers what this conference is really about?”
No one said, “Let’s each donate $1 to a mission agency or charity for a chance at the ticket.”
No one said, “Is there ANYTHING going on at this party that gives outsiders even the vaguest inkling that we are Christians?”
I went back and read the feed. It is pretty sad. Hundreds of Christian women with computers, and iPhones, and thousands and thousands of followers totally missing a big chance to do something more than stand on our platforms and shout “Me, ME, PICK ME!”
I’m not saying we are bad or evil or horrid. NOT using every Twitter party for giving or outreach isn’t bad. Of course not. I’m not saying that every blog has to be one shining “Jesus-bomb” when you log on. That’s not even possible.
I’m just saying that we HAD an opportunity to be a light for Christ, but we missed it because we were busily shining it on ourselves and our super-fun blogs. We just forgot to be a light? Or we didn’t think about it. Or we thought we would do it later. Sometimes I wonder if we get so busy encouraging, inspiring, and doing “good” for our sisters in cyberspace that we forget to do what is harder. To reach out, draw in, give up, and extend ourselves.
We just get ingrown.
You know, I constantly worry that you’ll be annoyed that I talk about giving so much and you’ll think, “Katrina, not everything is about giving and missions!”
But it is. It really is. Or it should be. I truly believe that if the world thought the word “generous” when they thought of Christians, things would be different.
Yet, while I point a finger at this Twitter party and my peers and blogger friends, I get three fingers pointing back at me.
In my effort to be “catchy” and “relevant” and “pleasing” to my readers who care about real foods, do I miss chances to write what God wants me to write? Am I afraid that I’ll lose readers who don’t care about giving and generosity?
Heck yes.
I am afraid. My desire to be popular and approved are at war with my desire to be obedient and glorifying to God.
But here is the truth my dear Christian friends. We are told to MAKE THE MOST of EV-ER-Y opportunity.
So remind me if I forget to do this. Come after me. Tell me that a big fish sent ya.
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Col 4:5 Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.
Well said! Glad you posted this! It is so important to be salt and light at all times.
You kicked my butt. You are absolutely right. And you have given me something to really think about. Thanks for having the organic gumption to speak up. 🙂
Jodi recently posted…Five Minute Friday: Delight
I wish I could say that I was edgy and bold, but really I think the Lord completely gave me writer’s block until I posted this. Maybe writer’s block is my big fish?
This is something I am always thinking about…
I remember reading an amazing and thought provoking post by a pastor turned worship leader turned author about how worship leaders can lose themselves in the “art” of the musicianship . . .
and become clanging gongs.
It really started me thinking about the words that I say on my blog, and what I write about.
This is having the same affect.
Thank you, friend.
Meredith recently posted…Delighting my soul . . . (Five Minute Friday)
Spot on! Well said sister!
Preach it.
We all need to step back and take a look at our purpose and whether we’re fulfilling it or not. I get caught up in the numbers, too, and I think I wouldn’t care so much if only I were a huge blog, but I’m sure I would anyway because I’m human that way. I need people like you in my life to remind me to always keep my true mission close to both my heart and my fingers while at the keyboard.
THANK YOU for stretching us, my bold, edgy friend.
Amy@Make Me A Mary recently posted…Does God laugh?
Thanks my muse! 😉 As for being bold and edgy, I am not. Maybe once in a blue moon, I will actually be obedient and then God can use this ol’ cracked pot. 🙂
I think you would enjoy this blog, it’s about giving and the writer is unabashedly forward with her approach. So much that I fully expect to be prodded and persuaded by her blog when I visit. At this point I don’t expect anything less. I think if I logged on and she was writing about anything but giving I’d assume it was a momentary lapse of reason. I say this to make a point, you do have a style that boils down to two things – writing about food and writing provoking posts about Biblical matters. And you frequently tie the two together. So I don’t think you’ve gotten off message recently, if you do I’ll be sure to remind you to stay on target!
http://amylsullivan.blogspot.com/
Rachel M. recently posted…Working Mommy Wednesday
Oooo, this girl is here in NC!! I subscribed. Also I noticed that she doesn’t have FB or Twitter buttons on her site, which I bet helps her step out of the pressure to be “liked.” Hmmm . . .something to consider.
Amy is one of a kind, and she answers emails, which is how I’ve gotten to know her. Would be really cool if you two met someday since you are so close and have so much in common with giving!!
Rachel M. recently posted…Working Mommy Wednesday
OY! Good one… keep that coming.
kudos to you girlfriend………..for saying what we all should say every day, all day, the way God wants us to say it………..he wants us to be for others all day even at twitter parties and you had the courage to remind us all!!!
karen recently posted…Innermost House – I Want a Place Like This or At Least the Feeling!
Thank you for your transpanency. I am crying because of your post. What a call to accountability. I feel like it is so easy to lose sight of the Gospel when we become so consumed with our “purpose”. Not sure if that makes sense. I personally am struggling with a call I feel in my life and I am so obsessed with trying to discern How this is going to play out that I am forgetting that the whole reason that I feel called to this end is to share God’s truth. I am spending a whole lot of time praying for me and what I should do, not praying for the people who are lost for whom my heart breaks. Sorry for the rambling. Just have a heavy heart this morning and your post spoke to what God is already trying to teach me.
Oh Caroline, I totally get this. I have been reminded all week that God’s work IS GOING to be done. But will it be done by me? Will it be done by those of us who say we serve Him, or will He end up having to get the rocks to cry out because I was too busy “serving Him” and didn’t see what He put right before my eyes. Let’s keep each other accountable, okay? 🙂
wow there’s a whole christian women bloggers and twitter parties and all that stuff i don’t even know about- hmmm not sure i want to:) thanks katrina- great blog- always bringing it back to what MATTERS
Awesome! I’m proud of you – I know it was difficult to write this, but so important to read, understand and put into practice on a daily basis. It really IS about giving, sharing, serving and putting others in front of us, just as Jesus did. I am reminded to think about how Jesus might use Facebook or Twitter – hmmm, very convicting.
Way to dig it out. Awesome post. To obey despite fear! Looks like God gave you what you wanted in the end anyway. Aint He cool like that. I’m so proud to be your sister.
You make me smile. I knew you were a Big Fish kind of gal! 🙂 You were delicate in your words, raw & fresh to your approach, and real through and through. Can I just hug you? What you say is important. Never forget that. I have been thinking lately how much just a spark – a word – a nudge – can really sync with the spirit in me for greater growth. Giving is growing…every time! Keep up the good work.
Be Blessed ~
Thank you! I am still a little terrified that I posted this, but I am trusting that the Lord will remind us all that we’ve got to keep our eyes on the REAL prize, which is not in our numbers. 🙂
Thank you, for being real. And transparent. We are called to love our neighbors as ourselves. Do we follow this 100% of the time? Probably not, but it’s something to strive for in order to glorify our Lord. Thank you for listening to the still, small voice and the nudging to post this on your blog. I look forward to many more of your posts!
Thank you for the encouragement, but just to be clear. It wasn’t a still small voice. It was a freakin’ loud, repetitive command that I ignored for a week. I’m very stubborn. Hopefully the next time the Lord asks me to write something I will hop right to it! 🙂
Proud of you, friend, for daring to obey and to speak the truth. Pleasing God is what matters most. Seek first His Kingdom and all the other stuff will follow.
so good! thanks for being real and relevant.
Christa @ BrownSugarToast recently posted…Loving the Little Years
Bam, baby. You nailed it. Just what is it exactly that we are all screaming about…praying that it’s something worthwhile.
Glad we connected.